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Colin Kaepernick called them his brothers.

Dolphins teammates Kenny Stills and Albert Watson were the only two players to kneel during the United States national anthem on the NFL’s opening Sunday, and Kaepernick, who is no longer welcome on an NFL sideline, made sure to offer his thanks to them via social media .

“My Brothers [Stills] and [Watson] continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed,” Kapernick said in his tweet. “They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated ... Love is at the root of our resistance.”

My Brothers @kstills and @ithinkisee12 continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed! They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. Their courage will move the world forward!

“Love is at the root of our resistance!”✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/2kSsX4s7EU
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7)
September 9, 2018

It was Kaepernick, then with the San Francisco 49ers, who sparked the anthem controversy by kneeling during the pregame ritual in 2016 — his way of protesting policy brutality and social injustice in America.

Since opting out of his contract after that season, Kaepernick has been unable to land another on an NFL team and is suing the league for collusion.

But his voice is still being heard. Last week, Nike introduced an ad featuring the quarterback and his message: “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”

One fan in Cleveland for the Steelers-Browns games was spotted in the stands wearing a Kaepernick jersey.

While Stills and Watson were kneeling during the anthem, teammate Robert Quinn raised his fist. Niners receiver Marquise Goodwin did the same at San Francisco’s game at Minnesota.

Before the late games, Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas and linebacker Brandon Marshall, and Seahawks linemen Duane Brown and Quinton Jefferson, retreated to their respective tunnels while the anthem played. In Los Angeles, Chargers left tackle Russell Okung raised his fist.

The NFL briefly had a policy in place in May regarding the anthem, but quickly rescinded it so the league and players union could negotiate. Virtually all Sunday’s reactions were expected, and similar — if not identical — to what these players did in games either last season or during the exhibition season.

Also coming as no surprise was the tweet from US President Donald Trump, sent several hours before Kaepernick’s, that took digs at the NFL, linking low ratings for Thursday night’s opener between Atlanta and Philadelphia (the lowest for an opener since 2008) to players who refuse to stand for the anthem.

“If the players stood proudly for our Flag and Anthem, and it is all shown on broadcast, maybe ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!” he tweeted.

Wow, NFL first game ratings are way down over an already really bad last year comparison. Viewership declined 13%, the lowest in over a decade. If the players stood proudly for our Flag and Anthem, and it is all shown on broadcast, maybe ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!